1981

It is my theory that in 1981 most of the world’s events flowed through Lenexa, Kansas, in some way or another. Here’s what I mean:

In 1981, while living in beautiful Garden City, Michigan, I had never heard of Lenexa, Kansas. But believe it or not in 1981 I frequently wore a Kansas City Royals hat over top of my great big afro. You thought I only wore Tiger and Michigan apparel, but that is not true. (Although this week I have been wearing a lot of Maize and Blue because of a little football game that will be played in Columbus, Ohio on Saturday. Just in case you are wondering… I have it on very good authority that the score will be Michigan 28 OSU 24. Sorry, about that little tangent, but I thought you should know.). For a while back in 1981 I was wearing a Royals hat. Truth be told, I had no affinity to George Brett, Freddy Patek and the boys in Royal blue, instead I liked a girl whose initials were K.C. I thought that Kim Cundiff was cute, so I wore a hat with her initials “KC” on it. It was a blue Kansas City Royals hat. I suppose if I thought a girl named Nancy Yak-face was cute, I would have worn a New York Yankee’s hat. But since I liked Kim Cundiff, I thought wearing a hat with the letters KC on it showed her that I really liked her. Kind of like guys who tattoo their girlfriend’s initials or name on their arm nowadays (Back in 1981, tattoos were only on sailors and biker dudes. Skinny guys with big afros didn’t get tattoos. We wore hats. It’s a fact for which now I am quite thankful. You see I lost that hat years ago and I lost interest in Kim Cundiff even before that. Had I tattooed “KC” on my arm, I would have either had to change the “C” to a “P” or cut off my arm. I’m glad I just lost the hat.). In 1981, I never thought I would live in Kansas. I had never heard of Lenexa, but I was wearing a hat worn by most people living in Lenexa… strange, very strange.

There were other notable events in 1981 that had a Lenexa, Kansas, connection. Such as:

In 1981, Ronald Reagan, President of the United States, was shot by John Hinckley. President Anwar Sadat of Egypt was also shot that year, and Pope John Paul II was shot too. I guess 1981 wasn’t a good year to be a pope or a president. Of course, those three people are no longer with us, so we don’t know if they had ever heard of Lenexa, Kansas. I don’t think any of them were goofy enough to wear a Royals baseball cap in hopes to impress a girl. But we do know is this: It would have done them well to have lived in Lenexa, because no one was shot in Lenexa in 1981. Hmmm…..

In 1981, MTV made its debut on cable networks. A little known fact is that had the good people of Lenexa refused to tune into MTV, it is possible that the media outlet and cultural icon would have gone the way of the 8-track. An opportunity lost in Lenexa you might say.

In 1981, Harrison Ford was looking for the Ark of the Covenant in the box office smash hit Raiders of the Lost Ark which contrary to rumors was never hidden in Lenexa.

In 1981, Christopher Cross was singing his #1 hit “Sailing” all the way to a Grammy Award. While not known for exotic beaches or miles of surf, still people were singing “Sailing” in Lenexa. Eerie!

In 1981, the dreaded Oakland Raiders won the Super Bowl and the L.A. Dodgers were on top of the baseball world. Unbelievably, not a single player from either team would claim to be from Lenexa. How odd!

OK, I’m just being silly—most news did not flow through Lenexa, Kansas, back in 1981. Most folks were focused on some other corner of the world. But I’m glad for a small band of believers that were focused on Lenexa.

I am very glad that in 1981 a committed group of followers of Jesus Christ dedicated Central Church of the Nazarene to the glory of the Lord in Lenexa Kansas. It was a huge deal. The building of a church on the corner of Rosehill and 87th Street didn’t get the headlines of say the release of the 52 American hostages in January of 1981, and it wasn’t even close to the biggest story out of Kansas City that year— the skywalk tragedy at the Hyatt would get that distinction. Still Central’s move from Kansas City, Kansas, to Lenexa was a really big deal. The 200 or so people that made up the congregation had borrowed $1.4 million dollars to make the move happen (that’s equivalent to over $3 million dollars today). They gave and sacrificed. Some double and triple tithed to make it happen. And on December 6, 1981 they dedicated this corner and this building to the Lord.

I don’t know how many people have found the Lord watching MTV or Raiders of the Lost Ark or wearing a Royals hat or any of those other things that happened in 1981, but I know this: a lot of people have found the Lord on this corner since 1981. A lot of families have been restored. A lot of great things have happened that will forever impact eternity. So, in terms of the Kingdom maybe Central’s move to Lenexa should have made headlines.

No, all the news didn’t flow through Lenexa in 1981, but some really Good News has been coming from this corner ever since! The Good News that Jesus Christ brings hope and help and salvation and freedom! The Good News that Holy Living can be a reality even in 2006. It is our desire to see that Message continue to be proclaimed for many more years on this corner.

This Sunday, we are going to celebrate our 25 Years in Lenexa. We are going to celebrate the sacrifice and the dedication of those believers. And we are going to call on the church today to “Now Finish the Work.” Just as those folks that called Central home 25 years ago had vision to see the amazing and the miraculous in what God could do, today we have the opportunity to participate in a mighty movement of God.

God’s call for us is to make more and better disciples. With our building complete, we are in the best possible place to see more and better disciples made on a regular basis. So let us “Now Finish the Work!” Let’s build upon the dedication of those believers 25 years ago, and more recently let’s build upon the success of the Seize the Moment efforts and let us “Now Finish the Work.”

We’ve been praying all week in our Prayer is Central effort. We’ve been seeking the Lord’s direction as to how we can participate in making more and better disciples and how we can participate in the Now Finish the Work campaign. This Sunday will be the first Sunday to put your faith into action as we begin to collect the Now Finish the Work Commitment Cards (We will be collecting the Commitment Cards until December 3, 2006). Again, my prayer is that we will simply do as the Lord directs. If He directs a $50,000 pledge-- Be obedient. If He directs a $500 pledge—be obedient. If we are all obedient, like the folks 25 years ago, then great days will follow!

Sunday is going to be a terrific day! There will be lots of good music, stirring testimonies, and an inspiring time in both morning services and the PM gathering. I hope you will plan on being at both a morning service and the all-church reception at 6 PM. Let’s celebrate what God has done and look forward to what God is going to do!